Wanted Dead or Alive Vigilante
by EmlynMara
Summary: Burdened by the death and destruction of the War with Voldemort, Harry struggles to regain his life. Death Eaters on the loose cause him to temporarily put his future on hold. Challenge Entry.
1. Prologue

**A/N - **Just a short story I wrote for a SIYE Challenge. While I'm waiting on the editing of the next chapter, I thought I would start throwing it up for readers to enjoy. Thanks to Rinfea and Xavras for helping edit the story.

**Disclaimer -** The characters you recognize belong to JK Rowling and her wonderful world of Harry Potter. I'm just taking her toys and playing with them.

**Prologue**

Ginny Weasley was tired. She was tired of being sad. Tired of being alone. Tired of hurting. Tired of the endless nightmares. And most of all, she was tired of waiting on Harry Potter. As she strode through the corridors of the Ministry for Magic, she rehearsed what she was going to say to the Minister, and what she was going to say to her ex-boyfriend, whom she mentally referred to as The Git.

It had been over four months since the Battle at Hogwarts, and she had barely seen Harry. He had been present for the funerals, but then he had thanked her parents for their kindness and withdrawn to his own home. The problem was, Ginny did not know where that home was. Harry hadn't bothered to tell her. Perhaps he had told his best friends, her brother Ron and his girlfriend Hermione; however, they were presently in Australia attempting to locate Hermione's parents, and Ginny had no way of contacting them. Hence, her visit to the Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

**xxxx**

Kingsley Shacklebolt, the newly elected Minister for Magic, sat at his desk and sighed. The surface of his desk was covered with parchment, seemingly in a great state of disarray. He took a sip of his tea and grimaced. It was tepid. He gazed at the chaos on his desk and wondered if he had lost his wits. What had he been thinking when he agreed to take on this position? How could anyone in their right mind actively seek this job? A sharp rap on the door to his office interrupted his introspection.

"Minister Shacklebolt, sir," came the quiet voice of his secretary. "There's a Miss Weasley to see you, sir."

Kingsley looked up in interest. Maybe this was the answer to his problem. He sat back as the fiery redhead strode into the room, crackling with repressed energy.

"Ginny, it's a pleasure to see you. What brings you to my office? I haven't seen you since, well, since Fred's funeral," he finished on a sombre note.

Ginny reined in her emotions. She was not going to cry. She was done with crying. Screwing her eyes shut, she slowly counted to ten, then opened her eyes once again. "I need your help, Minister."

"Ginny, we know each other well enough. There is no need to be so formal."

"Kingsley," began Ginny anew. "I need to contact Harry, do you know where he is? It's of utmost importance."

Kingsley shifted in his seat. He did indeed know where Harry was living, but the young man had sworn him to secrecy. Harry had told him he didn't want to be disturbed by anyone, including himself.

"Well, Ginny," Kingsley prevaricated. "I'm not at liberty to share that information."

The next minute he found himself facing the business end of the wand of a very irate witch. "I don't care what Harry told you. I don't care if he made you swear an Unbreakable Vow – he didn't, did he?" She waited for him to shake his head before continuing. "I need to find him. He's had four months to pull himself together. He can't hide out forever. You do not want me to hex you."

Kingsley shuddered. He'd seen the effects of Ginny's famous Bat-Bogey Hex, and he inwardly agreed that that was something he had no interest in experiencing.

"Now," Ginny continued. "We can do this the easy way, you simply tell me where I can find that louse, or we can do it the hard way, I hex you, and then you tell me where I can find him."

"Miss Weasley, Ginny," protested Kingsley. "I can have you arrested. Threatening the Minister for Magic is punishable by a stay in Azkaban."

"Kingsley, you and I both know you have more important things to deal with than a measly threat. Now, I repeat. Where. Is. Harry?" She took a step closer to him, a determined look on her face.

Kingsley was a hardened Auror, but he knew how fiercely determined Weasley women could be, and inwardly begging Harry to forgive him, he shared with her Harry's address.

Ginny thanked him curtly and started towards the door, when she was halted by the Minister's voice.

"In return, Ginny, you can do me a favour. I need to speak with Harry. An important issue has come up, and I need his advice."

Ginny turned and regarded him skeptically.

**xxxx**

Harry was sitting in a comfortable chair in his lounge, the telly blaring. His eyes were open, but they saw nothing. His face was covered with a ratty beard, and his hair hung greasily down to his shoulders. His clothes were covered with food stains, and he was surrounded by a pile of dirty dishes.

He couldn't focus, he couldn't think, he couldn't even bring himself to care that he couldn't do anything. His nights were broken by vivid images of dead bodies and screams. His mind was filled with death and destruction.

A faint pop outside his flat, registered somewhere in the back of his mind, but he was too far gone to actually react. A loud pounding on his door caused him to languidly turn his head in the general direction of the noise, but he didn't get up.

The pounding sound became louder and louder. Finally, expletives could be heard, and then, "_Alohomora!_"

Harry was not really surprised to see the door open. He wasn't even surprised to see the wand-wielding, red-headed termagant enter the room, eyes blazing. Being surprised required effort, and he couldn't spare any. He simply regarded her with empty eyes, saying nothing. Somewhere, in a distant part of his mind, he wondered why she was there. Didn't she know not to waste her time with him? Everyone was better off without him – a harbinger of death and destruction.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" screeched Ginny, upon espying him sprawled in the chair. Her voice quieted, and she approached him slowly, eyes darting around the room, taking in the disreputable state of the room. "Harry," she gently reached out and touched his arm, desperately seeking some flicker of life in his eyes. "Oh, Harry, what have you done?"

Letting go of his arm, she turned her attention to his flat. With a few flicks of her wand, the dirty dishes were in the kitchen sink being scrubbed in hot soapy water. The rubbish flew into the bin, while a broom was sent sweeping the dirt from the flooring. She moved to the windows and opened them wide, letting in some much needed fresh air.

Satisfied with her progress, she moved down the hall, opening doors until she found his bedroom. Another flick of her wand had the clothes flying towards an overflowing basket of dirty laundry. She found some clean sheets in the cupboard near the loo, and soon the bed was neatly made with fresh linens.

The loo was her final destination. She only glanced at the Muggle washing machine in passing, before shrugging her shoulders. It wasn't magical, and she would need instruction before daring to operate it, for fearing of flooding the flat. A few more spells and the loo was sparkling clean, and the trash bin full to overflowing.

Now that order had been restored, she returned to the lounge, to find that Harry hadn't moved. She spied a long black object in one of his hands and gently pried it loose. Fortunately for her, there as a button clearly labelled as off. She pressed it and was rewarded with blessed silence.

Kneeling down in front of Harry, she started to reach her hand out to touch him, then drew it back. She stood up abruptly, grabbed him by the hand and led him down the hall. She divested him of his shirt, then pushed him into the shower, still half dressed and turned the water on.

Moments later, Harry was startled when he was hit by a stream of warm water. Shaking the water out of his eyes, he gazed blearily around him. What was he doing in the shower with his trousers still on? He started muttering curses and tried to exit the shower stall, only to find himself pushed back in.

"What the bloody hell?" he shouted angrily. "I'm half-dressed! Let me out! My clothes are getting soaked."

A feminine voice answered him, and he groggily tried to place it. He knew it sounded awfully familiar, and he felt he ought to recognize the person behind the voice, but his mind kept sticking, and he couldn't seem to get it to work properly. He concentrated on the words and desperately tried to make some sense of them.

"Take your trousers and pants off and toss them out. I'll take care of them. Here's a flannel," and an arm appeared bearing a flannel, much to his surprise. "Wash yourself with soap and don't forget to shampoo your hair. Then rinse it. When you've finished cleaning yourself, turn the water off and come out. There's a set of fresh clothes on the hand basin. I'll wait for you out in the lounge. And don't forget to brush your teeth."

Harry had managed to catch the first part of the speech. Slowly he unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his trousers. With great effort, he managed to pull them off, and then his pants. Clothes in hand he stood under the water and tried to think of what he was supposed to do now. Fortunately for him, the voice returned.

"Have you got your trousers and your pants off yet? You do, good. Pass them out to me, please."

Harry stuck his hand out and felt someone relieve him of his burden. _Now what?_, he wondered.

As if in answer to his unspoken question, or perhaps he did speak and simply didn't realise it, he heard the voice instruct him once again. "Take the flannel and cover it with soap. Don't forget to clean behind your ears. The shampoo is in on the shelf behind you. Pour a bit into your hand and lather it up and clean your hair."

Harry turned around, and his surprise, there was a bottle labelled shampoo on the shelf. At least he thought it was labelled shampoo, his eyes were having trouble focusing, so he would have to take her word. He turned around again and faced the spray, just in time to hear her say, "When you've finished, put on the clean clothes I've laid out for you. I'll be in the lounge."

Then there was the sound of a door shutting, and Harry was left to contemplate the cascading water in solitude.

Quite a bit later, Harry trudged into the lounge and found a familiar red-head perched on his couch. He stopped abruptly and simply stared. His mind was unable to process what his eyes were seeing. No one knew where lived. Especially not Ginny. How was it that she was sitting on his couch? He couldn't recall letting her in.

He thought some more. Was she the owner of the voice in the loo? A red flush crept up his neck. He certainly hoped not. That would be dreadfully embarrassing. He really wanted to know, but he didn't quite know how to ask, and then he thought that perhaps he'd much rather not know the answer to that particular question. Unfortunately for him, the answer was soon coming.

"Merlin, Harry. You look and smell so much better. I hope you hung your flannel and your towel up. Sorry about the clothes, but they were the only ones I could find that were still clean. It looks like I'll have to take you shopping. Before we go, you'll have to explain to me how to run the washer. I've never used a Muggle one before. That way at least some of your clothes will be clean by the time we return."

Harry turned a dull red. It was humiliating to think she had been the one to toss him in the shower.

Ginny regarded him in amusement, and a flicker of hope rose in her heart. At least he cared enough to feel a sense of embarrassment. Perhaps there was still enough time to pull him back from the edge of the abyss upon which he seemed so precariously perched.

"Ggginny," he began tentatively, his voice scratchy with disuse. "What are you doing here? How did you get in? I thought no one knew where I lived, except...for Kingsley...," his voice trailed off, a faint frown marring his features.

"Never mind about that," replied Ginny with forced cheerfulness. "I'm hungry. I've checked your cupboards and your refrigerator, and they seem to be empty. It's probably best that we find some place to eat, and then we can go shopping." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door.

To his amazement, Harry found himself walking down the street, hand in hand with Ginny, and listening to her seemingly endless chatter. She seemed to be catching him up with all the news, but he only heard about one word in four.

Before long they were standing in front of a shop bearing the words, Mario's Pizzeria. Tuning Ginny back in, he heard her say, "Oh, look! Do they sell pizza? I remember you and Hermione talking about good it tastes. I'd love to try some? Do you have any Muggle money? Can we go in?"

With a great deal of concentration, he managed to make enough sense of her words to understand that she wanted him to buy her some pizza. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, and noted that he was in possession of quite a few pounds, more than enough to pay for supper. Shoving his wallet back into his pocket, he opened the door on his third attempt and ushered her into the cool interior.

Several hours later, Ginny left him alone in his flat. He stood there in bemusement, surrounded by shopping bags containing a variety of clothes and foodstuffs. He wasn't quite certain what had happened, but thought that perhaps he didn't much mind.


	2. The Decision

**Chapter One – The Decision**

Ginny returned home after the long day, drained beyond belief. Seeing Harry, her Harry, in such a state left her in a state of deep despair. Not even the death of her brother had affected her so greatly. She was desperately afraid that Harry had lost the will to live, and she wasn't quite certain she could endure having him die a second time.

Although it was barely half eight when she slipped into the house, she crept up the stairs, hoping she could avoid speaking to her parents. She didn't want to tell them where she'd been, and what she'd been doing, but she also didn't want to lie. Ever since Fred had died, her Mum was keeping a close eye on her, as if afraid she would suddenly disappear. She was getting quite fatigued with her mother's insistence that she return to Hogwarts, and her platitudes about how everything was going to work out for the better. She couldn't understand what could possibly lead her mother to think that Fred's death, the deaths of Remus and Tonks and countless others, could possibly be for the better.

As she dragged herself wearily up the stairs, the strain of the day finally took it's toll. She opened her door, kicked off her trainers, and fell onto her bed in a state of complete and utter exhaustion. She didn't hear her mother's quiet knock on her door. She never stirred when her mother lifted the latch and entered to check on her only daughter before turning in herself. She half-turned when her mother covered her with the quilt folded neatly at the foot of her bed, and buried her head more deeply into the the pillow.

Hours later, the scene in her bedroom was quite different. The covers lay in a tangled heap around her ankles, and she tossed and turned, muttering incoherently, a sheen of sweat covering her body. Finally she shot bolt upright, eyes dilated in terror, a silent scream on her lips.

Ginny blinked her eyes several times in an attempt to focus on her surroundings. She rubbed her arms up and down to fight off the chill that had crept over her body. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was only two. Resigning herself to another sleepless night, she crept down the steps and made her way to the kitchen. She quickly prepared herself a pot of tea, wishing she could express her frustration by slamming her way through the process.

Slumping over the table, she let the exhaustion take her. Every night it was the same. Her nights were filled with images of Hagrid carrying a dead Harry, of Tonks succumbing to the _Avada Kedavra_ whilst she stood by helplessly, of Fred's lifeless body lying on a table in the Great Hall.

She did not how much more she could endure, and she had no-one she could confide in. Everyone else was caught up in their own lives. The longer she sat there, the more tense she became. She caught herself several times about to give in and start pacing around the room. All of sudden, she knew what to do.

Going over to her mother's desk, she pulled out a piece of parchment and swiftly penned a note to her parents. Attaching it prominently to a cupboard in the kitchen, she rinsed out her cup and quietly let herself out the back door. She ran lightly to the the apparition point and disappeared with nary a sound.

**xxxx**

A slight noise brought Harry to instant awareness, wand at the ready. The day with Ginny had done him a world of good. He knew he still had a long way to go before he was back in top form, but he no longer felt like the living dead. He crept noiselessly towards his bedroom door, when it started to open slowly. Freezing, he aimed his wand at the shadow standing in the doorway.

"Identify yourself," he hissed threateningly.

"Harry, it's me, Ginny," came the swift reply, her voice a bit unsteady.

Harry let his wand fall back to his side, before raising it again. "What did Padfoot keep on the third floor?"

"A hippogriff, you prat. Are you going to keep me at wand-point for the rest of the night?" she asked irritably.

Harry lowered his wand once again and regarded her in puzzlement. "It's the middle of the bloody night!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Won't your parents worry?"

"I had a nightmare, and I couldn't sleep," she whispered disconsolately. "I left a note for Mum. She'll find it in the morning. I told her I was running errands. She won't know when I left."

Harry took her hand and led her over to the bed. Seating himself at the foot of the bed, leaving the head to Ginny, he made himself comfortable. He was quite experienced with nightmares.

**xxxx**

The bright sun streaming into his room woke him from a sound sleep. He couldn't remember when he'd last slept this well. At first he was a bit disoriented, but then he noticed the arm slung across his chest, and the warm body snuggled against his side, and the events of the night came rushing back.

Easing himself away from the sleeping girl, he made his way out of the room. Half an hour later, he was in the kitchen frying up breakfast, when a sleep tousled figure appeared.

"Thank you, Harry," she murmured softly. "I've never been able to get back to sleep after I've had one of my nightmares. I actually feel human this morning."

A brief smile flitted across Harry's face, the first in a _very_ long time. "I thought you might want a bite to eat. Breakfast is almost ready."

It took the entire meal for her to persuade him to at least hear Kingsley out. Harry was still dragging his feet as they entered the elevator at the Ministry.

"Remind me again why I'm doing this," he whinged.

"Because you like Kingsley, and he's always treated you fairly," snapped Ginny. "You don't have to agree to anything. I'm simply asking you to listen," she soothed.

"He _did_ tell you where I live," accused Harry in return. "That wasn't exactly fair."

"Oh, shut it, you. Are you saying my coming was a bad thing?" she quipped.

Harry didn't know quite what to say to that. True, he was feeling better, and his flat no longer resembled a trash heap, but now _she_ was there, and he was going to have to deal with _her_. He wasn't certain how he felt about that.

**xxxx**

Kingsley raised his head and bade his secretary to enter. She poked her around the door and announced, "Miss Weasley and Harry Potter to see you, sir." She looked a bit stunned.

"Send them right in, please." At last. He was beginning to lose hope. If Harry wasn't willing to take on this assignment, he truly feared for the future of the Wizarding world.

As they entered his office, Kingsley stood and walked around the desk to greet them. He shook Harry's hand vigorously and greeted Ginny with a short bow. "I'm so glad you were able to come," he greeted them.

He was a bit disconcerted at Harry's less than enthusiastic response but brushed it aside as inconsequential.

"I won't waste your time. I'm certain you have plenty of demands on your time." He motioned for them to sit.

As soon as they were seated, he resumed speaking. "I have been researching the war with Voldemort for the last several months and have come across some intriguing information. It appears that, in an attempt to recapture Sirius Black," he looked apologetically at Harry, "Minister Fudge passed a law offering a reward of 1000 galleons to anyone who turned in Azkaban escapees, dead or alive."

He took a deep breath before continuing, everything seemed to hinge on Harry's reaction to the next part of his proposition. "As I'm sure you are aware, quite of few of the missing Death Eaters are Azkaban escapees. They have been plaguing both the Wizarding and Muggle communities, leaving a trail of death and destruction behind them."

Harry glared at Ginny meaningfully. Fortunately, Kingsley was too intent on fiddling with his quill to notice. This was exactly the type of discussion Harry had been hoping to avoid.

"I am currently lacking the manpower to track these criminals down. The war depleted our Auror force and, while we are rushing new recruits through the program as quickly as we can, we are still critically low."

He looked up at Harry hopefully. "I was hoping you would be willing to track them down and bring them in. Perhaps you could contact some of your friends, and you could work together. You and Ron and Hermione did such an excellent job of hunting down the," his voice dropped, "Horcruxes, I'm sure this would be quite easy compared to that." He sat there waiting expectantly.

Harry twisted a loose thread on the side of his cuff nervously. He didn't want to let Kingsley down, but he was not the least bit interested in working with the Ministry. He had bad memories of his various forays there and had no desire to repeat them. He was tired. Tired of being the one everyone turned to, tired of hunting down evil, tired of sacrificing his life and his happiness to please others. He glanced surreptitiously at Ginny, trying to get a read on her thoughts.

Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "Minister, erm, Kingsley, I, erm, I can't. I simply can't. Ron and Hermione are not even in the country, and I have no way of communicating with them. I'm not certain as to when they plan to return. I haven't been in contact with anyone else from Hogwarts, but most everyone has plans. I have plans." Although that wasn't strictly true. He _would_ have plans, if he knew what he wanted. He _could_ have plans, given some time.

Ginny spoke up. "Minister, Kingsley, Harry really can't. He hasn't been well, and it will take him a long time to recover." Kingsley's expression grew anxious. "Nothing serious," she hastened to reassure him, "but Harry will be unavailable for quite some time. It's likely he will be out of the country for a large part of that time."

Harry tried not to look too surprised. _What in Merlin's name was she talking about?_ He adopted a solemn expression. "Ginny's right. I've been invited to visit friends on the continent, and I've already begun making travel arrangements. I'm not certain when I'll be back. I promise you, though, that if the Death Eaters are still at large upon my return, I will reconsider taking on the task of hunting them down and bringing them in."

Kingsley was unable to hide his disappointment. He now had a difficult decision to make. He could either let the Death Eaters move freely about, or he could spread his forces as thinly as possible in the hopes of running some of them to ground. Neither option was particularly palatable.

With as much grace as possible, he politely thanked Harry for his time and wished him well on his trip. He expressed the hope that he would recover quickly and hinted that a hasty return would be very much appreciated.

**xxxx**

Ginny was impressed. Harry managed not to take her task until they were safely back in his flat. Then he threw up silencing charms and turned on her.

"What the devil was that all about?" he exclaimed. "I'm not well! I'm going to be out of the country while I recuperate! I'll contact him when I get back!" He started pacing around the room in frustration.

Ginny seated herself calmly on the couch and regarded him thoughtfully. "Well, did you want to say yes to him? It certainly didn't sound like you did. I simply gave you an excuse. You _could_ thank me," she added primly.

Harry stopped and stared at her in complete disbelief. He ought to _thank_ her? Was she completely daft? She'd just made him out to sound like some sort of invalid. And she wanted him to be _grateful_? Bonkers. Absolutely bonkers. Maybe it was some sort of female thing. _That_ must be it. There could be no other explanation.

"Think about it, Harry," she urged. "Truthfully, you _haven't_ been well. And even though you're doing better today, that's really not saying much."

Harry winced at the truth of her words. He didn't even want to admit to himself how poorly he had been doing. He nodded for her to continue. He ought to at least hear her out.

"This gives you a brilliant excuse. You don't even have to stay in England any longer. Just imagine, you can travel all over the continent. Didn't you tell me that was something you've always dreamed of doing?" she reminded him, a tinge of excitement in her voice.

"Well, yes, I did say that once," he admitted. The more he thought about the idea, the more intriguing it became.

"And besides," Ginny's voice broke into his musings. "If you did choose to hunt down the Death Eaters, no one would have to know it was you. They'd think you were off traveling, and no one would associate you with the prisoners appearing in the lobby of the Ministry."

Harry narrowed his eyes at her. When had he ever indicated he wanted to hunt down Death Eaters? Who had said anything about portkeying prisoners into the lobby? Blasted woman was reading his mind again. Next thing she'd be suggesting that she join him. He'd be damned if he ever let that happen. His glare grew fiercer. If, and that was a big if, he ever decided to do a hair-brained thing like that, he would do it alone. He was never again going to be responsible for someone he loved getting injured or, even worse, killed. If he couldn't keep his friends safe, then life was certainly not worth living.

His only response was a grunt. After several more attempts to get a response out of him, Ginny finally gave up and returned to the Burrow, thoroughly disenchanted with Harry. He was much too stubborn, for his own good.

**xxxx**

Later that night Harry was once again disturbed by a late night visitor. This time, however, she didn't catch him asleep. His own nightmares had left him panting in a tangle of sheets. He almost welcomed her calming presence. It meant the world to him to know he was no longer alone.

Once again, he awoke in the morning to find her cuddled into his side, and it took a great effort not to stroke her hair and press a kiss onto her lips. She wasn't his girlfriend any longer. He had done a bang-up job of mucking that up. He had no right to expect that she was still waiting for him.

He was staring out of the window at the park, when she finally appeared, plaiting her hair as she walked into the room. He was surprised when she sat down next to him on the couch and gently took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers. It felt so right. He missed this connection with her. The freedom to touch someone. To have someone touch him. He was quite unused to it, but treasured it all the same.

"Harry, what are you thinking?" she inquired softly.

Harry debated with himself. Should he tell her the truth, or put her off? After a moment of silence, he replied. "I was thinking about us. About how I managed to royally muck things up between us." He glanced at her out the corner of his eye, trying to gauge her reaction before continuing. She had her face turned away, so he decided to lay it all on the table. She _had_ come to find him, after all. "It's a bit difficult waking up with you next to me in the morning. It tempts me to take liberties I ought not to be taking."

"What are you saying, Harry? Are you saying you still fancy me? That you wish you hadn't ended our relationship? Is that what you're saying?" Ginny asked quietly, turning to face him, hope shining in her eyes.

"Yes, yes, that's it. I'm sorry for breaking up with you, for pushing you away." He gulped. "Ginny, would you be my girlfriend again?"

A brilliant smile lit up her face. She threw herself into his arms, then pulled away abruptly. "Harry," she warned, "I'd love to be your girlfriend, but there will be no leaving me behind this time around, agreed?"

Harry avoided her eyes, certain she'd read his mind again. How was it she always knew what he was thinking and planning? He needed her. That much was clear. He took a deep breath. He would simply have to train her. There was no other answer. She was brilliant and very powerful. He would have to trust that she could take care of herself. He mentally kicked himself. He_ knew_ she could take of herself, he was simply afraid to let her.

He turned back and gently enfolded her in his arms. "Agreed," he murmured as his lips found hers, and Harry knew he was home.


	3. The Deal

**Chapter Two – The Deal**

The next few days passed in a flurry. Ginny no longer waited for a nightmare to wake her, she simply apparated to Harry's flat shortly after her parents retired for the evening. She wondered what her mother thought of all the notes she discovered in the morning, but, truth to tell, she really couldn't be bothered. She was with Harry and that was all that mattered.

Now that they had decided they were together, they spent hours sharing their experiences of the past year. Many times they simply ended up holding each other tears streaming down their faces, but it was cathartic. After holding everything in for so long, it was such a blessing to share the burden with someone else. Someone who would not judge them, someone who knew what it meant to suffer.

Harry did not pressure her to return to Hogwarts. He couldn't. He had no desire to return there himself, and he had less of a reason than she did to avoid what had once been his home away from home.

His support gave Ginny the strength to resist her mother's pleas for her to return and sit for her NEWTs. Unfortunately, this left her at odds with her mum, resulting in a great deal of tension any time she found herself at home. Her mother was becoming increasingly suspicious of her daughter's whereabouts and activities, and Ginny knew it was only matter of time before her mother confronted her.

**xxxx**

After an extended visit to Flourish and Blotts, Harry and Ginny returned to his flat with several bags of books on every subject imaginable. It didn't take them long to learn how to cast the _Fidelius_, and soon the location of Harry's flat was known only to the two of them.

A book on wards allowed them to turn one of Harry's spare bedrooms into a training room, and thus they began training in earnest, using a blend of magical and muggle-style fighting. They had engaged the services of a Muggle who was training them in the art of aikido using bokken. The _Fidelius_ allowed them to practice magic without bringing them to the attention of the Ministry. A situation they earnestly desired to avoid.

Once Ginny returned in the evening, the couple would spend quiet time together talking or snogging – the preferred activity – and then curl up together to sleep. They had discovered that their nightmares had significantly decreased since they had started sharing a bed.

After a fortnight of this routine, Harry sat Ginny down one evening for a serious talk.

"Ginny, I can't keep doing this anymore," he blurted out.

Ginny stared at him in puzzlement, unable to follow her boyfriend's train of thought. "Doing what?" she asked a bit fearfully, concerned he wanted to end the relationship.

"I can't keep sharing a bed with you like this," he replied, eyes glued to the ground, a fierce blush staining his face.

"Why ever not?" asked Ginny, ever practical. "It does a bang up job of keeping the nightmares at bay. I haven't slept this well in years. I daresay you haven't either." She glanced inquiringly at Harry and was surprised to find him turning an even darker shade of red.

"Ginny, please..., don't make me say it," begged Harry.

Ginny stared hard at him as if trying to read his mind. What on earth could he be on about? Fortunately for Harry, Ginny had grown up with a houseful of brothers and had learned quite a bit about how boys think over the years. A few, very uncomfortable, minutes later, something finally clicked.

"Erm...erm...," Harry began, before Ginny interrupted him.

"Harry, are you trying to tell me, you're, erm, having trouble controlling yourself?" she asked, squirming uncomfortably on the couch.

"Exactly," Harry mumbled in response. Lifting his head, he looked her straight in the eyes. "I know we've said we want to wait until marriage before moving any further in our relationship, and that is what I truly want," he hastened to assure her. "It's just becoming very difficult to not go further, at least on my part, with you in my bed every night."

"Oh," Ginny squeaked faintly, a bit nonplussed.

"There's nothing for it. As I see it, we either have to get married, or you need to go back to sleeping at the Burrow, and we'll have to keep to separate rooms when we travel," he finished with a rush.

Ginny simply gaped at him in stunned disbelief. "Erm, Ha...Harry," she stuttered. "Are you saying you want to get married?"

Harry's head snapped back from his perusal of the dead flowers sitting on the windowsill. "Didn't I just say that?" he asked irritably.

Ginny wanted to be completely certain she wasn't misunderstanding. "Harry," she inquired slowly, hardly daring to breathe. "Is this a proposal?"

Harry looked a bit abashed. "Erm, yes, I suppose it is." As he spoke, his voice gained strength and determination. "Yes, it is," he stated firmly. Taking her hands in his, he continued, "Ginny, I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else. You fit me perfectly. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Tears of happiness springing to her eyes, Ginny threw herself into Harry's arms. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "Yes! A thousand times, yes!"

After kissing him soundly, she pulled back a bit and looked at him. "Harry, what do you have in mind?" She regarded him suspiciously.

Harry quickly laid out his plan. They would marry in the Muggle world, in the hopes that the marriage would not be recorded in the Ministry for Magic. They had no wish to alert anyone to their change of status. He told her that the easiest way to marry would be to do it in a fortnight in Scotland.

Ginny assured him that she had no desire for a big wedding, and that, although she loved her family dearly, she'd much rather be married quietly and accompany him, then go through the chaos that would ensue were she to inform her parents of their engagement.

The next part of his plan involved Gringotts. Harry hadn't been to the Wizarding bank, since his precipitous escape on one of their dragons shortly before the end of the War.

"If we are to succeed in our plans, we are going to need some help. I have a proposition for the Goblins, and I hope they'll be willing to listen to me first before consigning me to the depths of some long-forgotten Goblin mine," he remarked wryly.

**xxxx**

The next day a very much altered Harry and Ginny entered the busy lobby of the Wizarding bank. Upon informing the clerk of his identity, the two found themselves surrounded by Goblin guards and escorted into the rear corridors of the bank. Eventually they were led into the presence of the manager of the bank, a fierce-looking Goblin by the name of Ragnok.

Harry bowed low. Ragnok looked at him impassively.

"You have caused a great deal of damage, Mr. Potter."

Harry grimaced. It was clear the Goblins were not willing to excuse his last visit to the bank.

"That's precisely why I am here today," he asserted. "I have a proposition for you." He glanced meaningfully at the guards.

Ragnok seemed to consider for a moment before dismissing them. "Mr. Potter," he warned, "My associates are right outside the door. Should anything untoward occur, they will not hesitate to incapacitate you and your companion." His eyes flickered in Ginny's direction. "Sit. Tell me the nature of your business."

Harry and Ginny took seats in the upright chairs in front of Ragnok's well-appointed desk, whilst the Goblin reclined in a rather comfortable-looking office chair and steepled his hands.

Harry quickly outlined Kingsley's discoveries and request. He explained that, although he had refused to work for the Ministry, he planned on hunting down the Death Eaters on his own.

A discrete cough, interrupted him. A glance to the side confirmed that Ginny was indeed displeased with him.

"Pardon me. Allow me to clarify. I will be hunting them down on my own, however, I will be accompanied by my fiancée, Miss Ginevra Weasley, who will soon be my wife."

Ragnok started in surprise. He turned his gaze to Ginny. "You are related to William Weasley?" he inquired curtly.

"Yes, he is my brother," Ginny replied.

"An adequate employee."

Ginny stifled a smile. High praise indeed from the Goblins.

"And the point of all this, Mr. Potter?" demanded Ragnok, clearly becoming impatient. He pulled out his timepiece and consulted it, a frown on his face.

"My proposition is this: I will give Gringotts a percentage of each reward as payment for the damage I have caused. In return, I ask that the Goblins aid me in my search."

Ragnok sneered. "Why should we help you? We can simply collect what is owed from your vault."

"You could. However, this way you will be earning my good will, and that of the Wizarding world."

"Why should we care about ingratiating ourselves with the Wizards?"

Harry sat back, a calculating look in his eyes. "Were you to do this, the Wizarding world would be indebted to you..."

"Not us, you!" snapped Ragnok.

"Ah, but that is the beauty of this whole deal. I will take no credit for their capture and return. I will not claim the reward. They will know only of the Goblins role in the recapture of dangerous known criminals."

A crafty look covered Ragnok's face. "What of the rest of the reward money? You said we would only be paid a percentage."

"The rest would be put into a fund to aid the families of war victims. Overseen by the Goblins, of course."

Ragnok looked at him suspiciously. "Why would you do this? How does this benefit you?"

"I want these men captured, so they can do no more harm. I don't care about the rewards. I have sufficient galleons in my vault. I can always acquire more. While I was opposing Voldemort, I spoke at length with Griphook and with Dobby, the house elf."

Ragnok bared his teeth upon hearing the name of one he considered a disgrace to the name of Goblin.

"I realise that Griphook betrayed the Goblins, and Gringotts, however, he shared with me how poorly Goblins have been treated over the centuries. Having suffered ill-treatment myself, I cannot abide to see others mistreated and oppressed. This is my way of paying back the help I received from the Goblins."

Ragnok pondered his words. He had never met a such a Wizard. It might serve the Goblins well to aid this man in his quest. It had the potential of proving to be quite advantageous. As to the rest, he would reserve judgment. Everyone wanted something.

After several heated minutes, during which Harry and Ragnok haggled over the amount of the percentage, Ragnok finally agreed to Harry's deal. The Goblins would provide Ginny and him with identification, credit cards, and information. The Goblins would also facilitate their access to their vault through Muggle banks. They would not divulge to anyone that Harry and Ginny were married, nor would they share information about their movements and location.

Leaving the bank, hand entwined with that of his fiancée, Harry felt more optimistic than he had in a very long time. His life had a purpose, he was no longer alone, and he was on his way to atoning for - what he believed to be - his past mistakes. He no longer felt indebted to anyone, and he relished this sense of freedom.


	4. The Plan

**Chapter Three – The Plan**

Harry and Ginny spent the next fortnight planning and training. The most difficult part of the plan would be engineering Ginny's farewell to the Weasleys. Her mother would be most outraged when Ginny announced that she would not be returning to Hogwarts and that she was leaving home to travel across Europe with Harry. She knew her brothers would be equally irate, and she dreaded having to face them. She consoled herself with the knowledge that the confrontation would not take place until after she and Harry had married.

Two weeks after having submitted the proper documentation, courtesy of the Goblins, Harry and Ginny took the train to Glasgow. It was their hope that getting married in such a populous city would make it that much more complicated for someone to trace them. Harry had hoped to be married in a church, he had fond memories of the church his relatives had occasionally attended, but arranging a church wedding on such short notice was a bit more involved than arranging a civil ceremony.

Harry had found a lovely cottage for them to stay in for the next week. He wrapped himself in Ginny and forgot the rest of the world for one long lovely week. They spent long days exploring the surrounding countryside and long nights showing each other how much they cared. He found it heavenly to wake up every morning holding his wife in his arms. Now that he no longer had to hold back, he showered her with kisses and caresses, and they christened every room of the cottage with their love.

They were both reluctant to return to the reality of the hunt that awaited them on their return to London.

"Harry, I never want to forget our time here. Do you suppose we might return every year to celebrate our anniversary? I've never felt happier than being here with you."

Harry smiled at her gently and pulled her into his arms, his eyes blazing with love and passion. "I would love to bring you here every year. It sounds like a perfect plan. It may not always be possible, but we can try."

Ginny pulled his head down for a lengthy kiss, then they gathered up their bags, tucked the key into the flowerpot, and made their way back to the station and the long trip back to London. It would have been much easier to apparate, but they were doing their best not to attract the attention of the magical world.

**xxxx**

The flat was littered with papers and parchment. A large map was pinned to the wall, push pins marring its surface. A muggle camera lay on the couch, still linked to the laptop open on the coffee table. The sound of a printer could be heard off to one side.

"Harry, what do you say I go visit the shop and see if there's anything lying around we might be able to use?" Ginny's voice drifted in from the bedroom.

""That'd be brilliant!" exclaimed Harry, as he removed yet another finished photograph from the tray. "Shall I come with you?

"No, don't bother," Ginny's laughing voice replied. "We don't want to give anyone the right idea."

"I suppose so," came Harry's grudging reply. "I'll just finish sorting things out here, and when you return we'll have to decide who we'll go after first."

The two had made a list of those escaped Death Eaters known to still be at large. Harry and Ginny were actually surprised to learn that the only Death Eater known to have died since the escape was Bellatrix Lestrange.

Ginny wondered if her mother would benefit from the law. Perhaps she ought to send an owl to Kingsley reminding him of that fact. Her family could certainly use the reward. They deserved to enjoy themselves a bit after having made so many sacrifices for their family over the years.

**xxxx**

Ginny was shocked to see how disreputable her brothers' shop appeared. It had been less than six months since the Final Battle, yet an air of obvious neglect permeated the premises. She touched the tip of her wand to the hidden notch in the doorframe, and, with a lurch, the door creaked slowly open.

Edging inside the empty room, Ginny was startled to see that the interior of the shop, at least the front room, was immaculate. She wondered if this was George's work or that of someone else.

Ignoring the merchandise displayed on the shelves, Ginny stealthily made her way into the back of the shop. This was where her brothers' had kept the goods they had used during the war. Rummaging through the boxes on the shelves, she practically did a little dance when she came across an entire carton of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. That would certainly come in handy. She was making herself giddy thinking of all the ways Harry and she could use it.

Ginny was about to add a box of Extendable Ears to her growing pile of pilfered goods – she planned on leaving a tidy sum next to the register as payment – when she heard a faint sound behind her. She spun around, dropping the box to the floor, and fired off an array of stunners, whilst at the same time diving to the floor in a crouch.

She was about to let loose a second volley of stunning spells when she heard the distinct thud of a falling body. Wand at the ready, Ginny cautiously approached the figure on the ground. She flicked her wand twice – _Incarcerous, Rennervate_. Now to discover who she had caught lurking in her brothers' shop.

"Ginny, oomph," came the muffled, and extremely irate, voice of her elder brother.

"George..." squeaked Ginny faintly. Then she straightened. She was not about to apologise for her actions. He ought to have had better sense than to try and sneak up on her. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Red. No, blue. No, aaargh!" came George's smothered reply.

Ginny laughed as she freed her brother from his bonds. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. "I thought you were still at the Burrow."

"I could ask you the same question. You're the last person I expected to find skulking around _my_ shop," George retorted, dusting himself off. "And what are you planning on doing with all that?" He indicated the pile on the floor.

"Well, you see, erm, I can't tell you," she replied, hoping he wouldn't question her any further.

No such luck. George started going through her stash. "Extendable Ears, Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Magical Manacles, Sunbursts, Stun Powder, Sticky Goo... Ginny, are you going to war?"

He stared at her searchingly, and Ginny could almost hear the wheels turning as he kept glancing between her and the pile.

Finally, he spoke. "Fine. I won't ask you what you're doing, who you're doing it with, and why you want this stuff. Just let me know if you need any more, and I'll make certain you get it. If you need a special order, simply send me the specifics, and I'll see what I can do. Just don't ask me to cover for you with Mum."

Ginny threw herself into her brother's arms. "George, you are the absolute best. Some day I may be able to tell all about it." She flashed him a cunning smile. "And don't worry about Mum. I'm planning on tackling her myself."

George gave her a squeeze. "Good luck with that. Sounds like you're going to need it. I suppose it might be best to lay low for the next week or so?" He raised an eyebrow.

"That would be quite prudent," returned Ginny. "Now, is there anything else I might have missed?"

"Actually, yes. Follow me. It's still experimental, mind you, but you might find this very useful. It's..."

**xxxx**

Back at the flat, Harry had colour-coded and arranged the photographs to match up with the push pins. Thanks to the Goblins, they knew where most of the Death Eaters lived. It was doubtful that they were hiding out in their homes, however, one never knew. Some of the less clever ones might still be around. Unless, of course, someone had gathered them together and organised them.

Although it might seem a bit peculiar, Harry actually hoped that they were not all together in one place. It would make the hunt a lot less interesting and exciting. He wanted to have to work a bit in order to capture them. If it was too easy, it wouldn't feel like it was worth it – like the deaths of those he loved were meaningless. He wasn't certain how he would react when he came face to face with some of his quarries. He knew he didn't want to kill them, but accidents could happen, and he feared losing his temper and deliberately trying to kill someone like Antonin Dolohov or one of the Lestranges, or even Walden MacNair.

When he was done, Harry stepped back to survey his work. The map encompassed more than just the United Kingdom. According to the information he had received, some of the Death Eaters had already decamped to the continent and were beginning to stir up trouble there, especially in some of the Eastern European nations.

With that thought in mind, Harry quickly penned a note to his old friend and rival, Viktor Krum, who was still playing seeker for the Vratsa Vultures. Perhaps he had some useful contacts, and he would enjoy seeing him again.

Whilst he waited for Ginny, Harry made lists of supplies they would need to acquire for their travels and wrote out extensive notes on each Death Eater.

When Ginny finally returned, Harry was in the kitchen fixing supper. She inhaled the scent of roast chicken and noticed that Harry was just taking the rolls out of the oven. He had sauteed some runner beans which were waiting on the table under a warming charm along with some jacket potatoes. Her mouth began to water at the thought of all that luscious food.

Slipping in behind her husband, Ginny slid her arms around his waist and whispered in his ear, "You can cook for me any time."

Harry twisted around and caught her mouth in a deep kiss. Pulling away, he disentangled himself from her arms and reminded her that he needed to get the rest of the rolls out of the oven before they burnt.

**xxxx**

"Ginny, we need a plan."

Ginny stared at him incredulously. What had they been doing for the last month?

"All right. Yes, we've been planning all along, but now we need to decide how we're going to go about this. Who are we going after first? Do we take out the easier, less clever ones, and hope the others don't find out..."

"Fat chance of that happening," muttered Ginny under her breath and helping herself to another serving of chicken and runner beans.

"Yes, well, I agree. If we go after the easier ones first, the others will be harder to catch. Chances are they'll go to ground, and we may never find them."

"Harry, are you listening to yourself?" Ginny asked tartly. "Are you saying that they are cleverer than you? That you won't be able to find them and bring them in? That they will have more motivation than you?"

"Erm, I suppose you have a point. Right. That's been decided then. How long do you think it will take us? We've twelve men to catch. If we snatch one a month, it will take us a year before we're done. Do you think you can go that long without seeing your family?" He looked seriously at his wife as he asked this last question.

Ginny had a blank look at her face. If she admitted it to herself, she hadn't really thought everything through. So far everything had seemed like a bit of a lark. She was with Harry, they would be hunting down the last of the Death Eaters, and no one would know it was them. It would be a grand adventure.

Harry's words had just brought reality crashing down. She'd never been away from her family for more than a few months at a time. Even going away to school, she'd always had at least one of her brothers around, except for that last unspeakably awful year. Could she go that long without seeing any of them?

Then she remembered the ugly scene that had taken place earlier that day, when she had informed her mother that she would not be returning to Hogwarts. Her mum had ranted and raved for more than three-quarters of an hour, then had broken down in a fit of hysterics. Disgusted with the whole situation, Ginny announced that she was moving out to her own flat and had decided she would spend most of the upcoming year travelling the world. She would be sure to keep in touch, but didn't know when she would return. She never got around to telling them about her marriage.

Steeling herself, she looked deeply into Harry's eyes. "Yes. Yes, I truly believe I can. Doing this, being with you, is what is most important to me. I could never let you go off alone again. This past year I felt like I was half a person. It was as if my heart was ripped out. As dreadful as this sounds, I'm almost glad the school was run by Death Eaters. It gave me something to do – a purpose, you might say. Otherwise, I might simply have faded away." Her voice grew quiet. She didn't like to think that she might have, but it was a distinct possibility.

Without Harry, her life was empty. Yes, she could have plodded on, but it wasn't the same. He was an integral part of her life. _I suppose this is what it really means to love someone_, she thought. _This feeling of incompleteness, of emptiness when separated from the one you love._

Harry came round the table and pulled her to her feet. He led her over to the couch, sat her down on his lap, burying his face against her neck. "You are my world," he told her brokenly. "I don't know what I would do without you." He shook his head. "Actually, I do. Without you I would be where I was when you found me. Lost. Alone. Directionless." His arms tightened around her waist. "Thank you for saving me from myself. I know this won't be easy for you. I realise you're giving up a great deal to go traipsing off to the ends of the earth with me, and I want to make certain that you know how incredibly grateful I am."

Ginny pulled his head up for a deep kiss, then pushed herself off his lap. "Come on then, we need to finish dinner and choose our first target. Then I can show you how fruitful my day was."

With a laugh, Harry followed her back to the table and helped her polish off the rest the chicken. He still felt a bit guilty at taking his wife away from her family, but he couldn't deny he would have it any other way.

Before they took themselves off to bed, they had decided on their first target, the elder Goyle, and had prepared their magically altered bum bags, which held everything they thought they might need. They weren't were too terribly worried about their first capture, it was only Goyle, after all, but they knew it would be important to get a good night's sleep. It wouldn't pay to be off their game when coming face to face with a Death Eater. Even the most incompetent ones weren't to be underestimated, especially if they were desperate.


	5. The Hunt

**Chapter Four – The Hunt**

Goyle's capture was appallingly easy. They almost felt guilty collecting the reward money for his capture, but consoled themselves with the knowledge it would not be them benefitting from the money. The Death Eater had been out in his garden and never even saw them, before a blow to the head from Ginny's bokken knocked him right out.

They secured him with Magical Manacles, placed a printed note on his chest, attached with a bit of Sticky Goo, and dropped a Portkey into his pocket. When he arrived in the lobby of the Ministry, it created quite a stir. Kingsley was summoned and appeared on the scene within minutes. He read the note, then read it again to make certain he hadn't misunderstood, then called for Aurors to escort the prisoner to Ministry holding cells before arranging his transport back to Azkaban.

Upon arriving back in his office, he wrote a note to Gringotts authorising payment for 1000 galleons to Ragnok. He was a bit leery about transferring such a large sum to the Goblins, but he didn't see as he had much choice in the matter. The parchment affixed to Mr. Goyle had indicated that the Goblins were responsible for his capture, and the law had placed no restrictions on who could receive reward money.

Kingsley decided that he would need to clear some time in his schedule and arrange for a meeting with Ragnok to discuss this matter more fully. It was embarrassing to think that the Goblins were succeeding where his Aurors had not. And did he really want Goblins running about capturing Wizards? The public might not be properly appreciative. Memories of the Goblin Wars were not that far distant, and many Wizard folk resented entrusting their wealth to the Goblins.

Sighing heavily, Kingsley rubbed the back of his neck. He hoped that this would not turn into a public relations nightmare. The Wizarding world could not afford more discord. He, himself, was not opposed to improving relations with other magical species, but he was fairly certain that his was a minority opinion. Perhaps he should contact someone like Bill or Arthur Weasley and ask them to help him with what appeared to be a looming crisis.

**xxxx**

The moment they landed, Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him enthusiastically. "We did it!" she chanted. "We did it! We did it!"

Harry pulled back slightly, and placed his hands on the side of her face. He looked at her in all seriousness. "Yes, we did. But now they will start to be more wary. The rest won't be nearly as easy to capture. They've received a bit of warning."

He grabbed her hand and led her over to their planning table. A quick flick of his wand and a red X appeared across the picture of Goyle.

"I wonder," he suggested thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should pursue them a bit more randomly. We don't want to risk them guessing who is to be the next target."

Ginny's eyes sparkled. "Brilliant!" she exclaimed. "Who shall we hunt down next?"

Harry stared a the board a bit longer and then announced, "I think we should track down MacNair. He's not one of the more powerful ones, but he's experienced in other types of combat, and he's extremely physically strong."

"Is that going to pose a problem, Harry?" Ginny questioned gently. She was familiar with the history between Harry and MacNair and knew there was bad blood between them.

"As much as I despise him," Harry commented, "I won't have any trouble sending him off to the Ministry. I think it would be most fitting. And to have his capture credited to the Goblins will be ample payback." An almost evil smile lit up his features.

Ginny pulled him round to face her and was rewarded with an instant change of expression. She sincerely hoped that this hunt would not change the essence of who Harry was. She knew he had to pursue this course. It was not in him to leave it to others to shoulder what he viewed as his responsibility, but she would be damned if she allowed it to destroy him.

**xxxx**

Three weeks later they finally caught up with Walden MacNair in the Forest of Bowland late one night. They had to be particularly careful because a pack of werewolves roved the fells, and it appeared MacNair had taken refuge amongst them.

They had been tracking the progress of the group for over a week and were hoping that MacNair would do something stupid before the next full moon, which was only two days away. They had noticed that the werewolves were becoming quite irascible and weren't terribly surprised to see MacNair strike out on his own early in the evening. They had been following him for some time, when Harry inadvertently stepped on a fallen limb. The ensuing crack brought MacNair to a halt, senses alert.

Cursing himself for not having remembered to cast a silencing charm on his feet, Harry reacted quickly. He threw out a Sunburst, whilst shielding his eyes and rushed forward swinging his bokken. Ginny circled around behind MacNair and attacked him from the rear, sliding her bokken between his feet, tripping him. Harry used his as a cudgel and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head. After they had secured MacNair with the manacles, checked him for Portkeys, removed his wand and destroyed it, they attached their pre-printed note and sent him off with a Portkey.

Harry and Ginny were left contemplating what to do with his axe, which they had neglected to include in the transit. "Err, Ginny, I don't really fancy touching it," Harry remarked with a shudder. "I don't suppose you'd like to pick it up and bring it along?"

Ginny gaped at him in surprise, then laughed hollowly. "Not really. Do you think we could simply vanish it?"

"I'm sure it's possible, but might it not come in handy?"

His only response was an astonished look. "You don't want to touch it, I don't want to touch it," she pointed out. "Just how do you think it will be 'handy'?"

Harry had the grace to blush. "That was a bit thick, yeah? All right then, you can have the joy of banishing it as a reward for showing me up."

As Ginny raised her wand and opened her mouth to utter the spell, Harry grabbed onto her arm and shouted, "Stop! I've just had a brilliant idea. Why don't we send it to Hermione instead? I'm sure she'd love to have it as a reminder of what almost happened to Buckbeak. She did work awfully hard to free him, after all."

Ginny smirked. She loved seeing this side of her husband. He could be positively evil when he tried. Marauder blood certainly ran true. She couldn't wait to get him back home and show him how much she enjoyed his cunning and devious side.

Pulling a spare Portkey out of her pocket, along with a piece of parchment and a quill, Ginny dictated a short note and attached to the axe with a bit of Sticky Goo.

Harry activated the Portkey, pulled Ginny into his embrace, and they disappeared with a faint pop.

**xxxx**

Early the next morning, Harry and Ginny surprised Crabbe as he exited Gringotts. Ginny tossed out a handful of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, and Harry hit him with a stunner. They had cast _Disillusionment_ charms over themselves, just in case there might be other Wizarding folk about, but they needn't have worried.

They were a interest to find that Crabbe had Portkey in the inside pocket of his cloak, and Harry quickly stashed it in his bag. It would be intriguing to see where it led. They secured him, affixed the trademark note for the Ministry, then sent him off with a cheery wave, even though it was wasted on the recipient. They knew that, from there on out, their work would be considerably more difficult. It was now obvious that someone was hunting Death Eaters.

**xxxx**

Kingsley almost stumbled over the newest prisoner on his way in to the Ministry. He quickly summoned Aurors and 11366 had the prisoner taken to a holding cell. This was the third Death Eater thusly delivered, the second in as many days. Holding the note in his hand, he slowly made his way up to his office. He really was in a bit of pickle.

"Sally, please contact Arthur and Bill Weasley for me. I need to see them as quickly as possible. We have a situation."

Striding into his office, he dropped into his chair with a heavy sigh. He needed a spin on this. Something that would make all involved parties look good, but he was damned if he could see his way out of this. The last thing the Wizarding world needed was increasing tension with the Goblins. However, if the public believed that there were rogue Goblins out there, hunting down Wizards, even Death Eaters, there would be hell to pay.

Suddenly he sat straight up in his chair. "Sally," he called out through the open door, "I need George Weasley, as well."

**xxxx**

Following the capture of the elder Crabbe, the other Death Eaters had melted away. It had been two months since they had hunted him down, and they were still no closer to locating Jugson's whereabouts. Things were becoming a bit sticky between Harry and Ginny. Harry was determined to stick to their plan and hunt them down one at a time, whilst Ginny wanted to gather information on all the Death Eaters remaining at large.

Harry was sitting at his desk scribbling another note to Viktor Krum, whilst Ginny was sitting on the couch sifting through a stack of foreign newspapers. Every once in a while she would sneak a glance at her husband. She hated this tension between them, but, _Merlin, he was being such a git. Why did he have to be so bloody stubborn? Couldn't he see that if they only looked for them one at a time, they might miss one of the others? Arrogant prat! Always thinking he knew best._ She knew she had to stop thinking this way. She was only winding herself up.

Dropping the papers on the coffee table, she rose to her feet and left the flat without a word to Harry. If she spoke to him, she'd erupt, and that wouldn't solve anything. She simply needed to get out, to get away, to do something different. They had been holed up in their flat for weeks, and it was driving her batty. She was accustomed to being outdoors, flying her broom anytime she wished. Merely being in the city made her feel like exploding.

Without realising it, she found herself in a small park. Her steps slowed as she breathed in the scent of trees and shrubs. It was late autumn, and everything was brown and dull, there were no leaves on the trees, yet she felt refreshed. She began to regret leaving the flat in such a bother, and she realised she owed Harry an apology. If they'd only thought things through a bit better. They should have put tracers on at least one of the other Death Eaters. Instead they had forged blindly ahead and bolloxed it all up.

She turned to make her way back to the flat and collided with a solid mass. Two arms shot out to steady her, and she looked up into deep green eyes that could only belong to one person. "Harry, I -"

"No, Ginny, it's all my -"

She placed her fingers on Harry's lips to hush him. "Let me finish, luv. I'm sorry. I've been a total prat blaming you for everything, when I've been as much as fault. I despise being at odds with you. I love you, and I just want to fix this mess we've gotten ourselves in." Tears were forming in the corner of her eyes.

Harry tugged her closer and melded his body to hers. "I'm the one who's been a complete git. You're right. We need to look at the whole picture. I've been too stubborn to acknowledge that. Forgive me, please?"

The pleading look in his eyes undid her. Merlin, how she loved this man! Falling into his kiss, the rest of the world disappeared for several long minutes. Finally, breath ragged, she pulled away and grabbed his hand playfully. "C'mon! Let's grab a bite to eat and then go for a fly. I think we need to clear our heads and come up with a new plan."

**xxxx**

The front page of the Daily Prophet caught everyone's attention. Featured prominently were Kingsley Shacklebolt and Ragnok, shaking hands and smiling. The article that followed described the new accord that had been forged between the Ministry and the Goblin Council. It was revealed that the Goblins were working with the Ministry to apprehend the convicted Death Eaters and that a generous portion of the reward money was being invested in a fund to aid those afflicted by the war.

Minister Shacklebolt went on to say that three of the twelve escapees had already been captured, and that every effort was being made to bring the rest to justice. It was also noted that Molly Weasley had received a reward for her courageous defeat of Bellatrix Lestrange during the Battle of Hogwarts.

A series of photographs showed Minister Shacklebolt thanking the Goblins for their aid. He was flanked by a smiling Bill Weasley on his left and a thoughtful-looking Arthur Weasley on his right. If one looked carefully, George Weasley could be seen in the background, a smug look on his face. But that was only if one looked carefully. The majority of the Wizarding world never even noticed the proud instigator of the bold new alliance.


	6. The Ambush

**Chapter Five – The Ambush**

Harry didn't hear back from Viktor until shortly after Guy Fawkes day. It had been a cold November so far, dreary and damp. There had been no whisper of any Death Eater type of activity anywhere in the British Isles, neither in the Wizarding world nor the Muggle world. Ginny and he had discussed the situation and had decided to relocate to a more central location.

They had found a chalet for let in the Swiss Alps and had packed up their belongings and settled in. Whilst it was colder there than in London, the scenery was positively breathtaking. They were looking forward to the first snowfall and had hopes of taking up skiing. Ginny had already begun teaching Harry to skate – a welcome relief from their seemingly futile quest. Everything hinged on the assumption that men such as these were bound to cause trouble sooner or later. It only needed for someone to notice and word to spread.

Viktor's owl arrived late one afternoon. Harry and Ginny were snuggled down in front of a cheerful fire, drinking hot chocolate and skimming through news reports. Although they had picked up quite a bit of French, German, and Italian, their grasp of the Eastern European languages was still fairly limited, and they were truly thankful for the handy translation spell that Hermione had taught them.

Hearing a tap on the window, Harry untangled himself from his wife and opened the latch to let in the hovering owl. From her place in front of the fire, Ginny looked up to see the cause of the disturbance. "Ooh, what a beautiful owl!" she cooed. "I don't think I've seen one like that before. I wonder what type it is?"

Harry looked the owl over carefully. He'd been studying the different breeds of owls in his search for new owl. It was becoming quite complicated to send out messages without his own owl. "I think it's a Ural Owl," he replied. "He is a handsome fellow, isn't he?" he murmured, taking the rolled parchment from the owl's leg and extending a handful of owl treats. "Would you like to stay awhile before heading out again?"

The owl hopped over to the perch and proceeded to shake out its feathers and dip its beak into the water dish.

"I'm guessing, that's a yes. Let's see what Viktor has to say."

He unfolded the parchment and read the message, his face growing bleaker. "I suppose it's good news, luv. There have been a spate of disappearances and traces of dark magic in Albania. The local authorities have been trying to hush it up, but Viktor is friends with one of the Albanian Quidditch players, whose cousin is in the Albanian Ministry."

**xxxx**

It didn't take them long to pack up their belongings and head off to Albania. Harry was mentally kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner. He knew that Bertha Jorkins had been in Albania when she had disappeared and knew that Voldemort had retreated there after having been rendered bodiless. How could he have been so stupid? It made perfect sense for the Death Eaters to hide out there. They had probably banded together to terrorise the local population. He couldn't wait to take them down.

Once in Albania, they headed north towards the Dinaric Alps, from whence came the disturbing rumours. They had taken a room in a rustic inn and hoped they wouldn't be there for long. They had cast _Notice-Me-Not_ charms on themselves, in hopes that word of their arrival would not reach Death Eater ears. The area was so remote that any strangers were bound to create a stir. They had had to register themselves, since the clerk wouldn't acknowledge their presence.

On their third day there, they were finally able to determine where the "evil spirits" were rumoured to be. They waited one more day before setting out into the mountains and were heartily glad they did. Late that afternoon, as they were strolling through the village, Harry grabbed Ginny by the arm and pulled her into an alleyway. Before she could say a word, he pressed his finger against her lips and motioned back towards the street.

Ginny caught her breath on a silent gasp as she caught sight of Travers and Mulciber skulking in the shadows on the opposite side of the street.

Circling around the house to the left of them, they carefully crossed the street and hoped the two Death Eaters would stay put until they could reach them. Just as they were about to enter the alleyway that Mulciber and Travers occupied, the two Death Eaters struck. Mulciber cast a _Stunning Spell_ on an unsuspecting girl hurrying past the opening, whist Travers disillusioned her and levitated her into the alleyway.

The force with which Harry hit Mulciber was rather more than necessary. Ginny neglected to hold back in taking down Travers. Prisoners secured, they turned their attention to the young girl. Although they had been avoiding the use of magic, Harry cast a mild _Confundus_ charm on the girl and released her back into the street. Then Ginny and he hauled their captives out of the alleyway and into the surrounding forest. Before they sent them to the Ministry, they needed information.

After a brief discussion, they decided that Travers might be easier to persuade. They hit Mulciber over the head again, to prevent him regaining consciousness while they spoke with Travers. Harry and Ginny disillusioned themselves whilst they waited, to preserve their anonymity.

Ginny's soft call interrupted Harry's pacing, and he rushed over eying Travers disdainfully. "You've been caught and will be sent to the Ministry for sentencing. We need to know where your companions are hiding. If you tell us, we'll let the Ministry know you've been cooperative. If not -" he simply shrugged his shoulders.

Travers' face paled a bit as he realised there was no way out. For an instant, Harry was fearful he would choose silence, then the words started tumbling out. He told them everything he knew. The Lestranges were the leaders and Dolohov was their right hand man. They had been kidnapping young girls for the fun of it, and were planning raids on magical communities across Europe. Their base was a seemingly abandoned hunting lodge, that had once belonged to a relative of Dolohov's. They were startled to discover that Jugson had been killed by Rabastan, leaving them with one less Death Eater to worry about.

**xxxx**

In the darkest hours of the night, Harry and Ginny crept out of their room, dressed all in black. Wearing gloves and dragonhide boots, their faces blacked, Ginny's hair tucked securely into a black ski hat, they strode warily through the silent village and followed a neglected trail up the side of the mountain. A good two hours later, Harry held out his hand to halt Ginny's progress. They had arrived.

The months of training had payed off. They were able to sense the wards that had been erected around the lodge, and carefully skirted the perimeter. Travers had warned them that two of their number always patrolled the grounds. Harry and Ginny guessed that the guards had become a bit lax of late; however, they were betting that Mulciber's and Travers' failure to reappear would have put everyone on edge. Extreme caution was indicated.

Ginny overtook Nott patrolling on the west side, and, after a brief scuffle, brought him down, secured him, and sent him off to the Ministry. She continued on and met up with Harry to the north of the lodge. With signs he indicated that he had brought down Avery and dispatched him, which left the four most dangerous Death Eaters at large inside the lodge.

Ginny indicated there was a wood shed just out of sight of the lodge. In hushed whispers, they decided to investigate before infiltrating the main building. Quickly and quietly, they approached the dilapidated structure. The door was secured with a shiny steel lock.

Harry raised his eyebrows at Ginny. It appeared that something worth securing was being kept inside. Using a simple _Alohomora_, he unlocked the door and carefully edged the door open. He almost vomited at what he saw inside. Two young women, clothed only in rags, cowered in the corner. They were covered with sores and bruises, and it was clear they had been brutally abused.

Harry swiftly conjured blankets to cover them, whilst Ginny set about making a Portkey to St. Mungo's. It was clear that the women weren't magical, however, they knew of no hospitals in Albania, and the women needed immediate attention.

As Ginny worked, Harry realised that what he had initially taken for heap of rubbish on the dirt floor behind the door was rather another body. He bent down to investigate and saw the barely perceptible rise and fall of the girl's chest. He conjured another blanket, wrapped her in it, and moved her closer to the other two prisoners.

Pulling out a piece of parchment and a pencil, Harry hastily printed an explanatory note in block letters and affixed to one of the blankets. Ginny added the Porkey and with a small flash, the women disappeared. They would need to have their memories altered, and it would surely cause a stir in the Wizarding world, but, if they were lucky, they would at least survive their ordeal.

As they approached the main lodge, Harry and Ginny were hoping to maintain the element of surprise, although they knew their chances of doing so were slim. The time for keeping a low profile was over. Harry hastily erected Anti-Apparition wards, Ginny being responsible for the Anti-Portkey ones. They circled the lodge once more. Other than the windows, the only visible entry point was the door at the front of the building.

Harry held up his fingers and counting down, whilst Ginny blew the door off its hinges when the count hit one. As one they dove through the doorway, firing stunners in an arc pattern, rolling to their feet and standing back to back in the centre of the room. They felt a bit ridiculous when they saw the room was empty.

Putting a finger to her lips, Ginny motioned to the ladder leading up to a loft on the far side of the room. Tossing out a packet of Instant Darkness Powder, Ginny quietly led the way up the ladder, pausing at the top until she felt Harry's breath on the back of her neck. She wormed her way quietly over the edge and moved to the right leaving room for Harry to clamber up beside her.

They moved forward, casting tripping jinxes as they went along. Ginny held her hand against the far wall, whilst Harry kept his on the railing. The disadvantage of the powder was that they were as blind as their opponents. Ginny felt a cutting hex hit her in the left thigh. Gritting her teeth, she cast a stunner and followed it up immediately with a _Bombarda._

Harry, upon hearing the thud of a falling body up ahead, changed his repertoire of spells, using a _Blasting Charm_ followed by a stunner. Another thud was heard. He let loose three cutting hexes, one right after the other, starting along the railing and moving inward in two meter intervals. A loud scream was heard, and then silence.

Harry pulled out his bokken and started forward, swinging his weapon in a well-rehearsed pattern. He could hear Ginny to his right doing the same. When his bokken connected with something hard, his entire arm was jarred, numbing it, causing him to release his weapon. Inwardly, he began cursing. He should have been more prepared. This type of eventuality should have been expected. They should have trained for it. He was so stupid!

Grinding his teeth, he dropped to the ground, and rolled to the right. He aimed his wand and cast another blasting hex, praying that Ginny was not in the way. How much longer did this blasted darkness last? He needed to see, if he was going to be able to protect them both. He couldn't bear it if she was injured. He needed her too much. Harry felt his anger rising. He worked hard to tamp it down, but it was a futile exercise.

_Wait! _ Was it his imagination, or was the darkness receding? _Yes_, he was beginning to discern shapes. _There_, he could see a body on the ground and...Bugger, there was Rodolphus Lestrange looking completely insane. Harry raised his wand, but before he could cast a spell, he was hit in the chest with a sick looking yellow spell and fell to the ground, senseless.

The blasting hex had knocked Ginny back, and she hit the ground and rolled, coming up wand at the ready. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Dolohov sending a spell towards Harry. She aimed her wand at him, but before she could hex Dolohov, she had to roll aside to avoid another spell aimed in her direction.

Ginny didn't even think, she simply reacted. She lobbed George's newest creation, a Petrification Pellet, at Rodolphus. Her opponent fell heavily, and she rolled back over, firing at Dolohov as she turned. She desperately hoped that she had been quick enough. Harry was down and wouldn't be of any help.

She threw up a _Protego_ and inched forward, only to be bowled over by Dolohov rushing at her, laughing wildly, as he ran for the stairs. Recovering her balance, she lurched to her feet and aimed a stunner at his retreating back. Unfortunately, he twisted out of the way and raced through the empty doorway, out into the night. Ginny briefly considered following him, but decided that tending to her husband was of greater importance.


	7. The Quandary

**A/N -** This is my choice for the title of this chapter. My husband doesn't think it quite fits, and I think he would prefer the title be - The Pursuit. Just thought I'd put that out there. Enjoy! Thanks for all the lovely reviews. We are almost at the end.

**Chapter Six - The Quandary**

Four months later, Harry and Ginny collapsed onto the bed of yet another _pension_. It had taken a month for Harry to fully recover from the spell damage Dolohov had inflicted, and they had been chasing Dolohov from country to country ever since, following every slim lead they could find. He always seemed to be at least one step ahead of them. Making up for lost time was becoming seemingly impossible. Their biggest fear was that he would either head back to England and start terrorising the local population or head to America, where they were sure he would fade into the woodwork, and they would never find him.

Ginny had questioned her actions more than once. The guilt gnawed at her daily. Yes, they had succeeded in capturing both Lestranges and Rookwood, but Dolohov had escaped. If only she had gone after him that night in Albania, they wouldn't be here chasing yet another false trail. How could the man elude them for so long? They had trained. They had resources throughout Europe. He was a lone fugitive, with no knowledge of the Muggle world. How could he continue to simply disappear?

Closing her eyes in frustration, she mentally reviewed all that she and Harry knew about the man. Clearly what they had been doing was getting them nowhere, perhaps it was time for them to change their strategy. Propping herself up on one arm, she peered down at her husband. He looked as awful as she felt - stubble-covered face, deep bags under his eyes, and a bloodshot appearance. The chase was taking a heavy toll on them both.

"Luv, maybe we need to rethink things. What we've been doing hasn't been getting us anywhere," she began, reaching out and caressing Harry's jaw with her free hand.

Harry leaned into the caress, closing his eyes as he simply enjoyed the feel of her touch. "I agree, but what the bloody hell are we supposed to do instead?" he demanded petulantly. He knew it wasn't working, but for the life of him he couldn't think of any other options.

"Well," Ginny said slowly, "what if instead of trying to track him, we use our knowledge of him to try and predict where he might travel to next." She paused a minute, face scrunched up in thought. "Or, we could lay a trap for him."

"What type of trap?" queried Harry, looking at her, interest shining from his eyes. He dropped his head back down and closed his eyes again, deep in thought.

**xxxx**

The next day found them working diligently, parchments and papers strewn around the room. There was a large map tacked to the wall, pushpins dotting its surface. Harry was seated on a chair, feet propped up on the end of the bed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He had no idea where Dolohov was likely to resurface. They had eliminated all his known relatives and associates, and it seemed unlikely he would return to a place he'd already been. There just didn't seem to be a pattern to his travels.

Harry kept staring at the map. Some of the locations correlated with relatives and associates, but others did not. There was no discernible reason for him to have shown up in Marseilles, or about five other locations. The prickling on the back of his neck was telling him that he was close to deciphering the mystery, but he just couldn't fathom the connections. He growled in vexation.

Ginny looked over at her husband. It was high time she do something to help him out. She stood up and walked over to where he sat. "C'mon, Harry," she announced grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "We need a change of scenery. Sometimes you need to let things simmer, like brewing tea. Let's go for a walk and explore the city for a change. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

Harry began to grumble, then permitted himself to be led out into the bright spring sun. Both the city and the day truly were beautiful, and Ginny was right. He needed to sit back and allow his brain to make sense of the puzzle that was Dolohov's path.

It was whilst they were sitting on a bench overlooking a small pond reflecting the surrounding trees that Harry's mind finally grasped the pattern. Much to his dismay, he had to admit to Dolohov's genius. He was simply brilliant in what he was doing, but now that he had the key, Harry knew that the Death Eater's days of freedom were limited. He hurried Ginny back to their room, and together they plotted Dolohov's next moves. Then they set about planning their trap.

**xxxx**

A month later found them sitting in an outdoor cafe, sipping hot chocolate and snacking on tea cakes. Ginny looked up and espied a man approaching the cafe who bore the look of someone slightly out of his own milieu. Brushing a soft kiss across Harry's lips, she murmured a quick farewell and quietly blended into the crowd of people passing by. She didn't want to alert her family to her change of status just yet.

Harry spoke at length with the reporter from Der Zauberspiegel about his tour of Europe and his future travel plans. Of course they spoke briefly of his defeat of Voldemort and his plans for the future, but the majority of the interview focused on his travels, his impressions of the places he'd already toured, and his upcoming itinerary.

Harry and Ginny had carefully chosen Heidelburg as the city in which to stage the interview. Dolohov had already passed through here the week before. They had confirmed his presence with several shopkeepers in the magical section of town. There was no danger of accidentally running into him.

Two weeks later, they disembarked the train in Innsbruck, and confirmed with the local press that yes, they were planning on hiking down from Hungerberg after having taking the cable cars all the way up to the Hafelekar station on Thursday. Until then, they were simply going to enjoy acquainting themselves with the sights of the city.

The reporter longed to ask who Harry's companion was, but the information was not offered, and he didn't have the courage to question the great Harry Potter, the man who had single-handedly defeated Voldemort. However, he did make certain that his photographer took several pictures of the two of them together, and those pictures featured prominently on the front page of the following day's paper.

**xxxx**

Unfortunately for Ginny, a copy of said paper made its way swiftly back to her parents, courtesy of a chance sighting by her brother Charlie, who was larking about the Austrian Alps with several of his mates. He was quite irate at seeing a picture of his sister in company with Harry Potter, apparently unsupervised. He was even more perturbed to learn they had been travelling together for quite some time.

_What_, he demanded in his letter to his parents, _had they been thinking of, letting their unmarried __daughter gallivant around the countryside with a single, and extremely eligible, man? Had they lost all sense of propriety? Had they completely taken leave of their senses?_

Charlie would have hunted them down himself, but for the fact that he was due back on the reservation only hours after the paper had been delivered. He returned in an extremely disgruntled mood, and, for the next week, worked alone, none of his friends being willing to brave his surly mood.

**xxxx**

Thursday morning dawned bright and clear. Harry and Ginny rose early, nervous energy preventing them from lying abed. They checked and rechecked their equipment. They donned protective armour and covered it with loose Muggle clothing. After a half-hearted attempt at breakfast, they shrunk their weapons and headed out to the funicular. Despite what the battle they were certain awaited them, they were determined to enjoy themselves.

The view from the top of the mountain was indeed spectacular, more so than they had anticipated, and Harry and Ginny made certain to have another visitor take a photograph of them, so they could show their friends when they eventually returned from their travels. Finally, taking a last look around, they headed down the mountain, first on the cable car back to the Seegrube Station and then on foot the rest of the way down the mountain.

They traded quips as they walked, bodies tense and alert, eyes continuously scanning the surroundings looking for signs that something might be amiss. As they entered the wooded part of the trail, they heightened their level of awareness.

Harry was slightly ahead of Ginny, when the first spell hit the stones between them. The second one, split seconds later, caught Harry in the shoulder, rendering it completely numb. Ginny was then hit with a cutting curse to her left calf, leaving a gaping wound.

Without thought, they split apart, dove into a roll, and rose to their feet, facing the direction from whence the spell had originated, but they could see nothing. Ginny cautiously edged away from Harry and bent to cast an _Episkey_ on her leg. It was only a temporary measure, to be sure, but it would hopefully get her through the fight. That dealt with, she began erecting wards, including a Muggle-repelling one. It would be dreadful if an unsuspecting bystander wandered into the battle area.

Switching his wand from his right to his left hand, Harry went on the attack, casting an array of stunners, while simultaneously covering Ginny with a shaky shield spell using his numb arm. He was determined that, this time, they were not going to come up empty-handed. Dolohov was going down. Swiftly casting a repertoire of simple, yet effective spells, Harry slowly moved forward, hoping to hear the sound of a tell-tale thud. The longer the battle took, the greater the danger to themselves.

As soon as she was finished casting the wards, Ginny limped about ten meters down the mountain and circled around to face Harry, in an attempt to flank their attacker. She too was casting curses, randomly throwing out cutting curses, _Blasting Charms_, and stunners, continuously moving to the best of her ability all the while.

When Ginny started moving, Harry heaved a sigh of relief, dropped the shield charm, and turned his full attention to the task of flushing out his adversary. He was beginning to feel frustrated. He knew that Dolohov was there, he just couldn't see him. None of his curses were connecting, at least not to his knowledge.

Although Dolohov was outnumbered, he had the advantage over the Potters – he could see them, whilst they couldn't see him. Harry decided it was time to even the odds. Reaching into his pocket for a Sunburst, he caught Ginny's attention in warning and then, eyes closed tightly, cast the glass ball on the ground.

The only response was a barely perceptible grunt, to the right of where he was standing, which explained why he had been unable to hit his target. Changing the direction of his spell casting, he redoubled his efforts and prayed for a swift resolution.

Ginny meanwhile was creeping slowly back up the hill. Upon hearing the grunt, she cast _Aparecium_ in the hopes that it would reverse the spell Dolohov was using to render himself invisible. _Bullseye!_ she thought to herself as a wounded Dolohov suddenly became visible not five meters from where she was standing.

Suddenly Ginny noticed her husband begin the wand movements for the flame throwing spell, and she tensed. She dared not call out his name and distract him, but she knew he would never forgive himself if he actually killed someone in cold blood. She knew Harry hated Dolohov. Hated him with a passion. He had been the one to kill Remus, the only link Harry had left to his parents. He was partially responsible for Teddy being left an orphan, the way Harry had been left an orphan. She herself was filled with so much hatred for the man who had so viciously destroyed her uncles and caused her mother such incredible grief, that it took a great deal of self-control not to take him down herself.

Harry started moving his wand, eyes fixed on the man who had caused so much pain and destruction. He had deprived Ginny of her uncles, grievously wounded Hermione, had killed Remus, and robbed Teddy of his father. He felt a well of hatred rise up inside him. It would be so easy. No one would know. No one would care. Perhaps they would even praise him for riding the world of such an evil man. Even so, he hesitated. He knew the ravages of death too well. Could he really condemn someone else to death, even if he was certain they deserved it? Wasn't this one of the reasons he balked at joining the Auror corps?

Disgusted with himself, Harry dropped his wand. It was not in him to kill another human being. Yes, the man deserved to die, but it was not his place to mete out the punishment. He had killed Voldemort, or, as Ginny so rightly pointed out, had been the means for Voldemort killing himself, and he still – over a year later – felt tainted by the experience. He would not voluntarily go through that again.

Ginny watched her beloved husband lower his wand and instantly fired off a stunner, incapacitating Dolohov before he could make a move of his own. She let out a deep breath that she hadn't even realised she was holding and ran up the hill, clasping Harry in a fervent embrace. When she finally released him, they were both reeling from the depth of their emotions.

Harry reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair out of his wife's face, completely entranced by her beauty. He still found it incredible that she was willing to put up with his moodiness and his tendency to be a complete git.

"Hey, there," he murmured against her hair. "We've done it. We can go home now." Harry tightened his arms around his wife. Home. The word sounded wonderful, and the best part was - he wasn't going home alone.


	8. Epilogue

**A/N - **This is the end. I hope you've all enjoyed the story. I had a lot of fun writing it. It was my first time writing in response to a challenge, and I'm fairly pleased with the result. A big thank you to my husband and my daughter for helping me get this cleaned up and presentable. Thank you also to my reviewers. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Not everything gets tied up, and this is deliberate on my part. It just seemed to flow better that way.

**Chapter Seven – Epilogue**

It took Harry and Ginny another six months to make their way back to their flat in London. They had limped down the mountain and holed themselves up in their room. A great many healing spells later, they had collapsed on their bed and slept for several hours. It was evening when they finally roused themselves, so, after quick showers, they headed off to a small restaurant they had discovered several days previously.

Sitting across the table from his stunning wife, Harry realised that, apart from the few days in Scotland, they had not had time for a proper honeymoon. "Ginny, love," he began, "I've been thinking -"

Ginny looked at him suspiciously and waited to hear what he had to say.

"-I've never traveled before. Now that we're free from obligations and can do anything we want, I was wondering if we could spend some time seeing the sights, just you and I – a type of honeymoon, if you will." He finished this last bit a somewhat lamely, unsure as to Ginny's reaction. He couldn't quite read the expression in her eyes.

Ginny pondered Harry's words. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. The only places she'd ever visited were Egypt, after her disastrous First Year, and Romania, to see her brother, Charlie, and his dragons. The idea of traipsing around the world with Harry by her side sounded like heaven.

It would mean postponing her reunion with her family, however, as she still had not told them of her marriage to Harry, she quickly decided she wouldn't mind putting that confrontation for a while longer. And besides, Harry was her family now. When was the last time they had been able to spend time together, just the two of them, with no demands hanging over them? Hmm, that must have been Fifth Year. High time to correct the situation.

She looked up at her husband...at his adorably concerned expression...at the way he was twisting his fork in his fingers, and smiled. "Harry, that sounds brilliant! Let's do it! I want to go everywhere and see everything, and spend weeks lying on beach in the sun with you."

"Are you certain you want to do this? What about your family?" Harry stammered, rising and moving around the table to pull Ginny up into his arms.

Ginny glanced around the restaurant, conscious of the fact that they were beginning to cause a scene. "Harry," she whispered urgently, "everyone is watching us!"

"I don't care," muttered Harry as he leaned down to kiss his irresistible wife. He was free, and he planned to bloody well enjoy himself. The rest of the world could go drown themselves.

Ginny brushed his cheek softly and hastened to reassure him that she did indeed wish to travel the world with him. Her family could wait.

**xxxx**

It was dark when they reached the Dragon Reserve in Romania. Ginny was practically bouncing up and down in excitement at the thought of seeing one of her brothers. Harry was a bit nervous, never having really had a chance to acquaint himself with Charlie and uncertain of the welcome he would receive.

They entered the dining hall, accompanied by the Director, who shouted, "Oi, Weasley, you have visitors!"

Charlie looked up and almost fell out of his chair. He leapt to his feet, crossing over to them in a matter of seconds, and let fly a right hook that almost caught Harry unawares.

Harry ducked at the last second, dropped to the floor and swung his leg out toppling the older, heavier man. He regained his feet and stood poised on the balls of his feet, waiting for the next move.

The hall was filled with silence as the camp watched the unfolding altercation with interest. It didn't take long for whispers to begin flowing as to the identity of the visitors. Harry was gratified to realise that most of the camp was completely unaware of who he was and what he had done.

Charlie put a hand on the ground and started to lever himself upright, when he came face to face with a wand. Raising his eyes he noted that the wand was clenched in the hand of a very irate red-headed witch, who looked like she would like nothing better than hex his balls off. Gulping, he sat back down and began to explain himself.

"Look, Ginny, I'm just trying to look out for you," he protested, holding his hands up. "You shouldn't be wandering about alone with him. He's ruining your reputation."

Ginny's frown only grew deeper. "And how do you know that, Mister Know-It-All?" she snarled. "Did someone die and make you my keeper? I'm an adult. I can do what I want, and I certainly don't have to answer to you."

Harry put his hand gently on her arm. "Ssh, love. Give him a bit of a break. He's only trying to look out for you. For all he knows, I could be some sort of stalker dude who preys on innocent young witches and leads them into lives of sin and debauchery."

Charlie's eyes bugged out. Who was this man in front of him? It looked like Harry Potter, but it certainly didn't sound like the Harry Potter he knew.

Ginny started laughing. She lowered her wand and wrapped herself around Harry, pulling him down for a deep kiss. "You," kiss, "my love," kiss, "are absolutely daft! Must be why I married you." Silence.

Charlie eased himself up, whilst the other two were occupied, staring at them in total disbelief. It certainly sounded as if his sister had been up to a quite a bit more than simply traipsing around Europe with the Boy-Who-Lived. Merlin, what would his Mum say? His sister certainly had balls if she'd done what he thought she'd done. He'd rather face down an angry dragon than tell his Mum he was already married.

Slapping his new brother-in-law on the back, Charlie congratulated the two, and, as his way of apologising for overreacting, invited them out for a drink in celebration. Afterwards, he couldn't remember much of the rest of the evening, but he was quite certain it had been a hell of a lot of fun.

**xxxx**

Kingsley sat in his office reflecting on the past year. He still had no idea where Potter was and hoped, rather fervently, that he would return soon. He could really use him in the Auror department. He was grateful, however, that life in the Wizarding world was returning to normal.

A new understanding had been forged with the Goblins, thanks to their involvement in the capture of the escaped Death Eaters. It couldn't be called a friendship, nor did either side trust the other, but the level of hostility had decreased significantly, and there was a sense of increased cooperation. He had no idea how the Goblins had been able to track and capture the Azkaban escapees, he was simply grateful that they had.

The funds for Voldemort's victims was a bit puzzling, but, as it relieved a great deal of burden from the Ministry, he tried not to dwell on it too much. Some things were better left fallow. At night, when he was all alone in the dark, he toyed with the idea that Potter might have something to do with it all, but then dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. If Potter wanted him to know, he would tell him, otherwise...

**xxxx**

The Weasley family had just sat down for a Sunday family dinner, when the back door opened with a clatter. In the doorway stood two familiar, yet distinctly changed, figures. Molly was the first one to react. She dropped the serving dish she had been about to set on the table and flew across the room, grabbing her daughter in a smothering hug. Tears were pouring down her face as she repeated, "My baby, my baby girl is home!"

Pulling herself away, she then turned her attention to the young man standing beside her daughter. "Harry Potter! How could you steal her away? She isn't old enough to go traipsing about alone! What could you have been thinking? She still had another year of school to finish! Oh, it's so good to see you! I'm so glad you're safe!" She stood back and bit and surveyed him, before enveloping him in his own excessive hug. "You look good," she muttered in his ear. "The best I've seen you look since you first came to the Burrow."

Harry tentatively returned her hug, looking questioningly over at Ginny. However, before he could say anything, someone grabbed his arm and hauled him away from Mrs. Weasley. He barely had time to register that a fist was on a collision course with his face, as he instinctively dropped to the floor and rolled back to his feet.

Unfortunately, the fist kept going and impacted on the side of Ginny's face. She let out a scream and grabbed her cheek in agony. Before she could react any further, Harry was in front of her, wand at the ready, a murderous expression on his face. He slowly backed her out the door, closed it firmly behind him, and a soft popping sound was heard.

When Hermione rose from her seat to peer out into the yard, it was empty. She turned on her boyfriend in fury. "Ron, you...you complete wanker!"

"Yeah, Ron. What were you thinking? Oh, that's right, you weren't," came George's mocking voice from the end of the table. "Way to completely mess things up. We'll be lucky if they show their faces here for another year."

Molly collapsed onto a chair sobbing, and Arthur did his best to console her. "Now, now, dear. Everything will be alright. We just need to give them some time to calm down. I'm sure they'll be back," although his expression seemed to indicate otherwise. He knew that both Harry and Ginny had fearful tempers and tended to be incredibly stubborn. He sincerely hoped that Ron had not done irreparable damage to their family.

"Ron," Arthur said sternly, "I think it would be a good idea if you went home and considered your actions. I will not tolerate that type of behaviour in my house. What you did was inexcusable. Until you have mended the breach you have caused today, you will not be welcome in this house." He hated saying these words to his youngest son, but he felt they needed to be said. Yes, what had happened was accidental, however, it was the result of rash thinking which would only cause his son more pain in the future, unless he could learn to control himself.

Ron glared at his father and stormed out of the house, muttering repeatedly about it not being fair, and that the tosser had deserved it. It did not seem likely that he would be returning to the Burrow anytime soon.

Hermione looked tremendously uncomfortable and embarrassed and soon made her excuses. She had no idea how to contact Harry and was feeling quite helpless and very frustrated. She had been looking forward to her friends' homecoming for quite some time, and this was not at all how she had pictured it.

**xxxx**

George left soon after, and sent off an owl to Harry, asking him to meet up with him at a pub he was familiar with in Muggle London. He hoped Harry would be willing to show up and talk to him. He was sitting in a booth in the darkest corner of the pub, nursing a pint when Harry and Ginny slipped into the bench across from him. He noted that Ginny's cheek looked as good as new, however, her eyes were wary and she wore a tense expression on her face.

Harry reached across to shake George's hand. "I just wanted to thank you for all the toys you sent our way. They saved our lives more than once. Without them our jobs would have been much harder." He flashed his brother-in-law a broad smile.

A devilish grin lit up George's face. "Glad I could be of help. Maybe we could come up with a little present for my prat of a brother." He turned to Ginny. "Welcome back, little sister. You're looking good. Nice to see the wanker didn't do you permanent damage."

He looked more closely at his sister and Harry, and then it finally clicked. He shook his head in wonder. She had more balls than he and Angelina had. They had talked about doing what she and Harry and done, but hadn't worked up the courage yet. Maybe he should mention that to Angelina when he returned home. Hmm, some rather intriguing possibilities were starting to take root in his mind. He decided not to say anything to the two sitting across of him. If they wanted him to know, they would tell him. But this presented him with so much fodder for blackmail. Restraining himself would be hard, however, he owed everything to Harry.

"So, what are you planning on doing with yourselves now that you're back?" George prodded.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, as if weighing their options. Harry nodded, and Ginny took up the ball that George had thrown in their court.

"We're not entirely certain just yet. We tossed around the idea of playing Quidditch, but it's been awhile since we've been up in the air, and I'm not sure Harry really wants all that attention." She sent her beloved a soft smile and twined her hand with his. "Neither one of us wants to join the Aurors. We've had enough of that to last us a lifetime," she remarked wryly.

"You could always help out at the shop," George offered. "We've been doing quite well, and I've been thinking of expanding, maybe even across the Channel. Paris, maybe, Munich, perhaps even Salem, if I was feeling adventurous. I'm open to suggestions."

An interested gleam sprang into Harry's eyes. "I take it you are looking for people to head up new branches." He was silent for a moment. "We'd have to think about it. How about we get back to you in a day or two?" His expression grew serious. "What happened after we left?"

George drew his fingers through his hair and let out a breath. "Mum went ballistic, Dad chewed Ron out and told him not to come back until he patched things up with you, and Hermione was none too chuffed with Ron. She looked a bit upset. You might consider contacting her," he suggested. There was a pregnant pause, and then, "Are you going to go back to the Burrow?"

Ginny leaned into Harry's side and stroked his cheek. She stared hard at her brother. "I'm not certain. I think we will, but it won't be pretty. Mum is not going to like our news. And, after last night, Harry is feeling more than a bit protective of me."

"Well, maybe I can help you out..."

**xxxx**

Dusk was beginning to creep in when Harry and Ginny landed just outside the Burrow's wards. Ginny flung herself into Harry's arms and kissed him passionately and then, just as suddenly, let go.

"For luck," she said with knowing smirk.

Harry simply stood there, a dazed expression on his face, then laced his hand with his wife's while they stood waiting. He was just about to consult the time, when they heard two loud pops. Turning to Ginny, he said, "Right on time."

They greeted the other couple, then, all together, they made their way towards the Burrow. Exchanging uneasy glances, the two couples pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Molly was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on supper, and Arthur was relaxing in the sitting room perusing the Daily Prophet. No one else seemed to be around.

Molly turned at the sound of the opening door, and let out a small shriek, dropping her spoon into the pot. "Arthur, Arthur," she called frantically, "they're here."

"Whose here, dear," he responded from behind his paper.

"Harry and Ginny."

"Nice to know what you think of us," quipped George, as he pulled Angelina further into the room.

Molly started to sputter, but before she could get out a word, George gestured flamboyantly and announced, "Mum, Dad, sisters and brothers, may I present my wife?"

A pin could be heard dropping.

Then a voice spoke up. "Erm, Mum, Dad, Harry and I wanted to tell you that we're married also."

Molly's face was a sight to behold. Warring emotions struggled for dominance. Finally, she reached out and grabbed her children tightly, "Oh, my babies, you're all grown up." She pushed them away and then caught Harry and Angelina in an equally tight hug. "Welcome to the family." Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. "I'm so happy for all you." She released them, stepped back, and her voice hardened in warning, and she shook her finger at the four of them. "Don't you ever pull another stunt like this one again. Imagine. Going off and getting married without your family. Absolutely disgraceful."

Arthur pulled her gently away before she could say anymore and whispered in her ear. "See I told you they would come back. There's was no need to fret yourself so." He shook Harry's hand and clapped him on the back, then gently hugged Angelina. Finally he pulled his daughter into his arms and held her. "It's so good to have you back. We've missed you."

Ginny wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I've missed you, too, Dad. It's good to be back."


End file.
